This invention relates to a serial type printer having a pedal type wheel and a type selector motor adapted to be coupled to the type wheel for selectively rotating the pedal type wheel and more particularly, to a detection device for detecting the coupling of the pedal type wheel to the motor.
In a prior art printer of the above type, a type selector motor such as a stepping motor, for example, is movably mounted on a carriage for movement towards and away from a case fixedly mounted on the carriage and receiving a pedal type wheel so as to couple to and uncouple from the type wheel. In another prior art pedal type printer, the stepping motor is pivotally supported at one end on the carriage for movement between upright or inoperative and horizontal or operative positions, the type wheel is coupled to the motor with the motor held in the upright position and the printing operation is performed with the motor having the type wheel coupled thereto held in the horizontal position. However, in any one of the above-mentioned prior art pedal type printers, when the motor having the type wheel insufficiantly or improperly coupled thereto is actuated carelessly, the type wheel may not face a desired position of the platen and as a result, a selected type cannot face its associated hammer to be struck by the hammer whereby the printing operation cannot be performed or as the motor rotates, the type wheel may displace to strike against the machine frame of the printer to inflict damage to the machine frame.